Siobhan O'Connor, Buffalo Whistleblower: In the Footsteps of Archbishop Vigano

Siobhan O'Connor, like Archbishop Vigano,
broke the silence.

Last night 60 Minutes covered the Diocese of Buffalo and the cover up of clergy sex abuse by Bishop Richard Malone. The bishop's whistle-blower assistant ,Siobhan O'Connor leaked records from a secret archive. 

Did she betray Bishop Malone? Siobhan says yes, but for the greater good. She says she genuinely loves Bishop Malone, but, after listening to the stories of many of the abuse victims who called the pastoral center, she had to act. 

Victims were frustrated when they called the "hot line" set up by the bishop for abuse victims which went to what Siobhan called a "cold line" with a recorded message that was never answered. After listening to dozens of stories, she could no longer keep silent. "The reality of what I saw left me with no other option because, at the end of my life, I'm not going to answer to Bishop Malone. I'm going to answer to God?"

As I listened to Siobhan, clearly a woman with a conscience, I could only reflect on the witness of Archbishop Vigano. Her words echo his. They both know they must answer to God.

Will the bishops change? How many are homosexuals protecting their own? How many are willing to throw victims under the bus along with a few abusers as they circle the wagons and try to go on with business as usual by deflecting attention from the elephant in the room? It's about homosexuality in the priesthood and until that issue is addressed head on with a definitive moral doctrine forbidding homosexuals from the priesthood, there will be no solution.

The laity can't let that happen! It's time to demand an end to allowing homosexuals an open door to the priesthood. A man who is struggling with same-sex attraction and wants to do God's will, must recognize that the priesthood is not a good fit! It puts him in a daily struggle with his desires, daily occasions of sin. Think of seminary life with common bathrooms, common meals, common recreation -- apostolates with young boys. No -- regardless of whether a homosexual is chaste, he does not belong in the priesthood. 

We all work out our salvation in fear and trembling. Of course, a person with same sex attraction can become a saint, but he (or she) does not belong in religious life!